Save Historic Zoar

The Village of Zoar

The village of Zoar was founded in 1817 by German religious dissenters as a communal society and represents “an exceptional historic way of life.” Few such settlements in the U.S. are as well preserved as Zoar and have such distinctive architectural and historic features. It is of exceptional value in illustrating the heritage of our nation. Zoar is a national treasure enjoyed by thousands of Americans every year.

Federal Study Threatens Historic Village

Support and Action is Needed

The Historic Village of Zoar sits at the base of a levee constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) nearly 75 years ago to hold back potential floodwaters. The levee is in need of major repairs and the Corps has given it a “Dam Safety Action Classification I” rating — its lowest safety rating, meaning the need to address the issue is “urgent and compelling.” By law, the Corps must consider all options to fix the problem. Basically, there are three alternatives:

Repair the levee

Tear down the village and let the area flood

Relocate the Historic Village of Zoar to higher ground

The Zoar Village Government and the Zoar Community Association believe the only acceptable option is to “preserve Historic Zoar intact where it is.”

“Save Historic Zoar” Campaign Now Part of National ‘This Place Matters’ Program

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is conducting a campaign called ‘This Place Matters.’ The goal of the campaign is to draw attention to historic sites across the country that need to be preserved. The Historic Village of Zoar is proud to be included in the campaign. View photos of the Zoar campaign. To learn more about the NTHP campaign, you can visit www.preservationnation.org.

The “Save Historic Zoar” Movement…

…is led by Zoar Village government, the Zoar Community Association (a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization) and leading preservation, historical, business and community groups and elected officials in the area. The goal is to protect and preserve the Historic Village of Zoar. You can get more information and join the effort by writing to:

Save Historic Zoar P.O. Box 544 Zoar, OH 44697-0544

Or call, (330) 874-3011 (800) 262-6195

Learn More

What you can do…

They want to hear from you and so does the Corps. As part of its Environmental Impact Study (EIS), the Corps “invites full public participation.” The EIS includes “potential impacts to the natural, physical and human environment.” Please contact the Corps at the address below and say why Zoar should be preserved.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District 502 Eighth St. Huntington, WV 25701-2070

(please send a copy of your letter to us using the address in the section above)